Comic Vine Review

Injustice: Gods Among Us #18 - Chapter 18 Review

Batman and Catwoman meet with the President of the United States to form a counter to Superman's actions.

The Good

This issue feels like a whole lot of fan service. No, that doesn't mean we see Batman and Superman go toe-to-toe or anything like that. Instead, we're treated to an overwhelming sense of buildup and a whole slew of both new and familiar faces in this alternate universe. Remember how I said Batman's handling of Solomon Grundy was the most badass thing he's done in this book? Well, I think having the bat-brass to verbally put the President in his place with a single remark is a solid contender for second place. The response on the President's face is absolutely priceless. I won't be surprised if we see the Commander-in-chief fold if the Man of Steel comes knocking on the White House's front door.

I tend to keep these reviews spoiler-free (for the most part), so I'll hold off on providing names when it comes to the cameos (but I will say MARTIAN MANHUNTER!). A few are really exciting choices, especially due to the characters not having a role in the video game at all or being limited to a super small cameo. Watching this group gather and figuring out if there's a potential traitor among them is sure to be a blast and you can immediately feel the momentum growing. Seeing as writer Tom Taylor has done such a great job with each character, I'm pretty anxious to see how he juggles each one and brings them into the spotlight with their unique voices. And considering we know Green Arrow is destined to die, I'm especially curious to see how Taylor will handle that one.

The Bad

The city settings have an overwhelming amount of similar colors. This can make it a little uneasy on the eyes when trying to differentiate characters from objects in the environment. Jheremy Raapack's art has a rougher and unpolished feel compared to what we've seen in the past few issues. While I don't mind the different style at all, I can understand why some may not be a fan of the visuals.

While I agree with what Catwoman says to the President, the politics may be a little too heavy-handed for some. After all, these are topics some hold very close to their hearts, so Selina's statements are sure to turn some people off.

The Verdict

If this chapter doesn't get you excited for what's about to go down in this alternate universe, then I just don't know what will. There's a slow burn when it comes to Clark's transition and it's great to see he didn't simply go from heartbreak to heartless overnight. The roster continues to grow and Batman is finally building his rebellion to take on Clark's regime. How everything unfolds from here has yet to be revealed, but if you've played the game or even know the basics, then you know the odds aren't in Bruce's favor. Does that mean these characters are destined to meet a grim fate or will Taylor have them go down a different and unexpected path? I have no idea, but I'm definitely stoked to find out.

I can honestly say this is the first issue I haven't liked. There was no big emotional punch or hilarious moment. Dare I say too much happened? I don't know. I do know that Catwoman's speech stuck out like the sorest of thumbs. I praised the previous issue for tackling political grey more tactfully than The Movement; this issue reverses that and was far more obtuse, which is a little silly when you consider that The Movement is actually officially classified as a political book.

I'd like to think that my objection isn't even so much due to my personal standing as it is just a writing point -- that it felt like a meta-textual rant more than an in-story, in-character delivery.

Also, my unfamiliarity with the broader spectrum of DC characters made the more exciting moments in this issue -- especially the reveal at the end -- rather shrug worthy for me.

The seemingly bald head, the cape. Also, it seems clear Bruce is using his telepathy to figure out who he can trust on the team. If that's not Martian Manhunter in the corner, then I honestly don't know who it could be.

That makes a lot of sense, my re-reading was basically me looking at every picture looking for a green man. Although this makes it interesting, with captain atom and martian manhunter they could probably mount a serious attack against superman's regime.

That shadow figure is definitely Martian Manhunter . I'm not fan of Heroes vs Heroes fights , that's the main reason my disliking Marvel. This Serie looks like this kind of crappy stories , one side turns villians , poor political satires etc. But to be honest this serie is entertaining in same time and it's not main Universe . Biggest suprize in this issue is seeing Captain Atom for me. I hope they add him in the game.

what the heck was Catwoman talking about when she said that "she's also an alien spy" when she was looking at the Huntress's file?

Yes, that's the only option based on the character's we've seen.

Well I thought it may have been Star Sapphire with a weird redesign, but considering all of Batman's buddies (except for one character) where supposed to fully appear at the end of the issue I'd say it's pretty safe to assume that is Huntress and Catwoman's comment does feel out of place.

what the heck was Catwoman talking about when she said that "she's also an alien spy" when she was looking at the Huntress's file?

Yes, that's the only option based on the character's we've seen.

Well I thought it may have been Star Sapphire with a weird redesign, but considering all of Batman's buddies (except for one character) where supposed to fully appear at the end of the issue I'd say it's pretty safe to assume that is Huntress and Catwoman's comment does feel out of place.